Israel Folau’s former Wallabies teammates to testify against Rugby Australia
Israel Folau has upped the ante in his $14 million fight with Rugby Australia, revealing several former Wallabies teammates will testify on his behalf against the governing body.
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Wallabies players supportive of Israel Folau are willing to be interrogated in court by Rugby Australia’s own lawyers, according to silks representing the sacked superstar.
Folau’s lawyer George Haros revealed they’d obtained affidavits from Folau’s former Wallabies teammates that will form part of their case in February next year, claiming he was wrongfully terminated and owed $14 million in lost earnings.
The exact number of players is being kept confidential, but the fact they’ve signed the legal papers means RA’s lawyers can cross-examine them in the Federal Circuit Court of Australia in Melbourne.
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“Matters behind the evidence of other players is contained in the amended statement of claim and we detail what was allegedly said to those players and who they told that information to,” Haros said.
“We have a number of affidavits that have been provided by senior Wallabies players that will form part of the hearing in February 2020.
“I can't speak on behalf of Rugby Australia and their legal team but I can say that the affidavits have been provided by those Wallabies players and as a result they are open to be interrogated by our opponent.”
The Folau camp says one senior player told Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and RA chief executive Raelene Castle that allowing Folau to return to the team would not cause disharmony, but that his sacking could divide the team and offend Christian Polynesian players.
This matter could be resolved on Monday when RA and Folau’s camp hold mediation talks in Melbourne — Folau will be present.
However, if they fail to reach a resolution, the case will proceed to a three to five day trial starting February 4, just four days after the kick-off of the 2020 Super Rugby competition.
On Wednesday, Folau lodged an amended statement of claim in the Federal Circuit Court increasing his demands from $10 million to $14 million over the termination of his contract earlier this year, claiming he could have been Wallabies captain.
Folau said he’s lost $4.2 million from his base contract from 2019-21, as well as additional Test match payments and sponsorship, and estimated he would have earned up to $1.5 million a year for the three years after that contract expired with overseas clubs.
He then claims ongoing earnings after retirement for “possible captainship of a trophy-winning Wallabies team at an approximate rate of $30,000 to $50,000 per annum for between 15 to 25 years (approx. $450,000 to $1,250,000).”
MORE FOLAU NEWS
Folau: Bushfires and drought God’s punishment for same-sex marriage and abortion
‘Preach the truth without fear’: Folau urges churchgoers to be bold
Folau, who was sacked by RA over inflammatory social media posts claiming homosexuals are destined for Hell, earned the ire of the nation last week when he suggested the deadly bushfires across Australia were punishment by God against laws allowing same-sex marriage and gender choice.
“I don't want to make any comment specifically about the sermon other than to say that after having spoken with Israel, it was not his intention to offend any victims of the bushfires,” Haros said.
Folau claim also says one of the three panellists who heard his code of conduct hearing, Kate Eastman SC, tilted the case against him because she’d previously worked for LGBTQI groups.
Originally published as Israel Folau’s former Wallabies teammates to testify against Rugby Australia